Columbia Terminal Railroad

A full-service short line rail, trucking, and storage network serving the
Mid-Missouri area and beyond.

Personalized Service

Experience the personalized commitment of community-owned, community-operated shipping specialists. Owned by the City of Columbia, Missouri and operated by Columbia Water & Light, COLT Transload provides a multitude of shipping services, including rail service from the Norfolk Southern’s main line in Centralia to our state-of-the-art warehouse in Columbia.

COLT Service Area

COLT offers reliable, energy-efficient, cost-competitive transportation service to any location in the mid-Missouri area.

From Columbia to Centralia the rail line passes through gently rolling agricultural areas and the towns of Brown Station and Hallsville. The line is generally parallel to State Highway B to Hallsville and State Highway 124 to Centralia.

In Columbia, the rail line is located just west of the Highway B industrial area, crosses Highway 63 approximately 2.5 miles north of Interstate 70 and ends south of Rogers Street near the center of town.

Low Rates

Check into rail rates and you might be surprised by how much you can save on your transportation costs. COLT Transload will work with you to determine a cost-effective transportation solution tailored to your needs.

Not directly on our rail line?

Not directly on the COLT rail line? Don’t have room to store a rail shipment? Our Transload facility can store your rail car loads and deliver them where and when you need them.

The COLT Transload can load/unload all types of rail cars, provide
warehousing and distribution, packaging, product certification, and many
other services, including 'just in time' delivery through their fleet of company owned,
leased and brokered units.

Our Track Record

We handle over 1500 cars a year.

We are a Class III railroad with two locomotives.

COLT’s twenty-one miles of track are rated FRA Class II, which allows for a 25 m.p.h. train speed.

JAKE AWARD WINNER: The American Short Line and the Regional Railroad Association have recognized our outstanding safety record.

Trains are run daily by a staff that has over 60 years of cumulative experience.

Shippers located in the COLT area work directly with the Norfolk Southern Railroad for car supply, tariffs, billing, collections and general marketing. If desired, COLT management will provide assistance in developing these competitive arrangements.